Trail Blazers Hold Off Spurs 90-87

Published 7:00 pm, Thursday, January 9, 2003

Scottie Pippen and Derek Anderson scored 19 points apiece as the Portland Trail Blazers held off the San Antonio Spurs 90-87 Thursday night for their 11th win in their last 13 games.

With the score tied at 80, Dale Davis hit a turnaround jumper and Anderson added a layup with 1:30 left.

San Antonio's Tim Duncan scored, and his free throw pulled the Spurs within 84-83. But Pippen's running jumper stretched the Blazers' lead and Anderson's driving layup with 17 seconds left put them ahead 88-83.

Duncan narrowed it again to 88-85 with 7.7 seconds to go, but Tony Parker fouled Anderson. He made both foul shots, and Parker's layup with a second left didn't matter.

Stephen Jackson had 18 points and Parker added 17 for the Spurs, who snapped a three-game winning streak.

The Blazers opened a 12-point lead at the close of the first quarter when Anderson's layup put them ahead 24-12.

Duncan, averaging 30 points in his previous five games, voiced his frustration in the first half when he missed an open jumper from the top of the key. "Get in there!" he exclaimed after the ball failed to drop.

After taking a 41-35 halftime advantage, the Blazers struggled to start the second half. The Spurs got within 49-47 on Bruce Bowen's 3-pointer, then tied it on Jackson's layup with 5:37 left in the third quarter.

Damon Stoudamire, who has been benched for nine of the Portland's last 11 games and has publicly complained about his diminished role on the team, came into the game to a rousing ovation and immediately sparked a rally. He earned an assist when Arvydas Sabonis' 3-pointer made it 52-49.

Stoudamire's 3-pointer put the Blazers ahead 61-53 with 39 seconds left in the quarter.

But the Spurs kept it close, tying it at 78 on Jackson's 3-pointer with 3:52 left in the game. Malik Rose made a pair of free throws to put the Spurs ahead 80-78, but Anderson converted a pair of his own for Portland to put it at 80-all.

Duncan had 23 points as San Antonio beat slumping Seattle 106-95 on Wednesday night, but the Blazers held him to just 12 points.

The last time these two teams got together, on Nov. 9, Blazers forward Bonzi Wells was accused of spitting on Spurs reserve Danny Ferry. The Blazers won 95-76, in one of just three losses San Antonio has suffered at home this season.

Wells was suspended for a game. Ferry did not play Thursday night.

Notes:@ Pippen passed Mark Aguirre for 44th on the NBA's career scoring list with a dunk in the first quarter. Pippen now has 18,458 points. … Even before the game, Stoudamire was concerned about his place on the team. "I'm 29 years old, I'm in the prime of my career and I can't get any minutes," he said.